Memorial Day: Part II

So right now I am at work. And it is extraaa quiet. But that is only because the baby is asleep and the others are with their grandma. It's so weird though because I am not used to quiet, and when it is quiet, that's when I start to worry. Go figure. 

Anyway... here are the promised pictures from my awesome California trip a few weeks ago. I got there Friday afternoon and Bry picked me up from the airport and we went to lunch at this way good wrap and burger place. He was able to take a little time off to eat before he had to head back to work. So while he was at work and I was at their apartment waiting for Nereida to get off of work, I took a test. Go figure. School just NEVER ends for me. Nereida and I went shopping for some supplies for the Bridal Shower we are throwing for Nathalie next week and then we all went to dinner at this Bar and Restaurant (what is with me... I can't remember the names of anywhere today!) where we had amazing spicy avocado rolls, pizza, their specialty rootbeer, and pizookies! 

Saturday Bryan had to work so we had girls day at the beach with Nereida's friends Liz and Kim. They are seriously hilarious and I had such a great day. We started at Venice Beach and walked all around for awhile. We stopped at some sun glasses shops and tried on a thousand pairs, at least I did... until I found just the ones!

Just kidding. I did not buy either of those. I got sweet blue sunglasses though. All along the beach front are people selling medical marijuana. It was kinda crazy how many there actually were.  

We spent a long time walking around and laughing and then after getting henna tattoos we decided to lay the beach for awhile. Oh I love love love the beach. 

We then attempted to find a gas station to go to the bathroom but apparently gas stations in California don't believe in bathrooms so we ended up at McDonalds. Then we went to Santa Monica Pier for some good lovin' fun.... where I rode a ferris wheel. Now, if you don't know me that wheel then you don't know how horrible terrified I am of Ferris Wheels. Like terrified. It's bad. But I got on anyway and actually enjoyed it slightly. Probably because we could not stop laughing or because people kept changing seats while it was moving or because we were taking awesome pictures or maybe all of the above and then some, but either way, I survived. We walked the pier a bit and took more pictures and then we were off to dinner at Roscoe's where the serve waffles and chicken! What a combo. We waited outside on the curb like true Hollywood bums for about 30 minutes and then enjoyed a really awesome meal and tons more laughs. Then we spent the rest of the night walking Hollywood Blvd. Oh what interesting people you see there..... Including the creepo guy who hit on me, invited me to have beers with him when he got off work, gave me his number, and proceeded to kiss me. All while everyone else was petting a dog a ways off and while Nereida was taking pictures of this little incident! Such a sister thing to do ;) hahaha. Anyway. I had an awesome time but here are the plethora of pictures to prove it. 

Yes, we did part on Ocean Avenue. Just like the song :)

Ferris Wheel!!!!

This picture makes it look kinda like I am floating in the ocean, but it was on the Pier :)

Just chillin on the curb in Hollywood waiting for dinner, all of FB, nbd.

Mount Zion and En Kerem

After an adventurous few days up North, we had a day full of relaxation and watching movies/ X Files! Sunday was pretty low key and nice just to hang out with family and not do much of anything. Monday was a good, low key day as well. Elaine, Rachel, Nana, and I went to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust museum here in Israel.  I have had previous experience with Holocaust museums and learning about when happened in the 1930's, but it was still a somber experience. This museum is very well laid out and has an excellent portrayal of what happened from the very beginning to the end. 

Tuesday was another super fun day. Eric, Nana, Brother Elliott, and I all went to Mount Zion and En Kerem. Our first stop was St. Peter in Gallicantu. Early Christians associated this site with the Palace of Caiaphas. This site overlooks the Qidron, Hinnom, and the Tyropoean Valley's as well as the Mount of Olives and Mount Scopus.

  

1st century steps that Christ very well may have walked on

Temple Mount behind us

We then walked up some massive hills (while Eric pushed Nana in her wheelchair) of Mount Zion where we went in to Coenaculum which is traditionally where the Last Supper was. We then hopped over to the Dormitian Abbey which is a traditional site of Christ's mother Mary's death. 

We then got back in the car and drove up to En Kerem. It was so beautiful and green. We walked through the small little city a bit and made our past Mary's Spring where Mary stopped for water on her way to visit Elizabeth after she learned she was pregnant with Jesus. We also saw a few churches that commemorate The Visitation, the meeting of Mary and Elizabeth, and John the Baptist. Unfortunately, they were closed as as most churches during the lunch hour it seems here, but we were still able to get some nice views of the grounds and understand why they are important points in history for us. 

Mary's Spring is behind us. It used to be very large, but in the modern day, water is now diverted elsewhere for people to use and only a small amount still comes all the way down. 

St. John the Baptist church